Avaliação de compostos com atividade antioxidante em células mutantes de Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gtt1

Abstract

Antioxidants play a significant role in both the food industry and human health, as oxidation processes are essential factors in reducing the shelf life of various foods and products. Additionally, these compounds act to mitigate damages caused by an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body. Although chemical tests for assessing antioxidant activity are easily executable, results often differ from those obtained in vivo due to the complexity of human cellular physiology. A more precise approach can be achieved by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells with deleted genes responsible for endogenous antioxidant production. This strategy provides a more direct way to assess the impact of antioxidant compounds, eliminating the influence of metabolic pathways that typically inhibit oxidant compounds within cells. In this context, the present project evaluated the in vitro antioxidant effects of astaxanthin, curcumin, Trolox, commercial vitamin C, and analytical standard vitamin C using the DPPH and ABTS methods. Subsequently, the same compounds, including the essential oil of Myrciaria cuspidata, were tested in vivo. The compounds were evaluated for their ability to combat damages caused by Menadione, a stress-inducing agent in mutant S. cerevisiae yeast cells. The results showed that the essential oil of M. cuspidata, at concentrations of 84 and 42 µg/mL, partially inhibited the effect of the stressor Menadione, similar to the commercial vitamin C and the analytical standard vitamin C, which inhibited the effect of menadione at a concentration of 200 mg/mL. This approach, closer to human physiological conditions, enhances the interpretation of the effects of antioxidant compounds, contributing significantly to understanding their therapeutic potential and application in health promotion.